The present invention relates to a gemstone marking system; and more particularly, to a focus sensing means in a gemstone marking system for sensing relative disposition between a marking surface of the gemstone and a focal plane of a laser beam and for adjusting the relative disposition therebetween when needed.
Laser marking systems for inscribing indicia on gemstones defined for the purposes of this invention to include diamonds, pearls, semiprecious and precious gemstones have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,476; 5,932,119; and 4,467,172. These gemstone marking systems utilize energy from pulsed lasers to ablate or vaporize material from the girdle or one or more facets of the polished gemstone as the gemstone is moved under a focused laser beam.
To inscribe complex indicia on the marking surface of gemstones, the systems described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,410,125 and 5,573,684 employ the projection of patterns defined by masks placed between an ultraviolet excimer laser and the surface of a gemstone as a mechanism for production of identifying marks.
In the laser marking systems, the gemstone surface is to be positioned within a few tens of microns of a specific focal plane (also known as an image plane) of the laser beam. In some prior art systems, for example those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,476 and 5,932,119, magnifying optics are used to view the edge of the gemstone, so that an operator can position the marking surface in close proximity to the focal plane. There magnification systems often require significant operator intervention to move the gemstone to the focal (or imaging) plane of the laser beam. The need for operator involvement increases the time required for marking of the gemstone and may introduce a potential for a human operator error that may result in damage or loss in value of the gemstone.
It is highly desirable to avoid the involvement of operator from the process of gemstone marking and to accomplish the proper positioning of the gemstone marking surface in the focal plane of the laser beam automatically.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a gemstone marking system having a mechanism for automatically determining the position of the desired marking gemstone surface with relation to the focal (or image) plane of the laser beam.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a focus sensing unit in a gemstone marking system which senses the distance of a gemstone marking surface from the focal plane of the laser beam and which outputs electrical signals indicative of such a displacement of the marking surface from the focal plane.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a gemstone marking system with a focus sensing unit which permits automatic positioning of a gemstone surface at the focal (or image) plane of the laser beam with minimal or without operator intervention in the process.
According to the teachings of the present invention, a gemstone marking system includes a laser generating a laser beam directed to a marking surface of the gemstone and a focused sensing unit for sensing relative disposition between the marking surface of the gemstone and the focal plane of the laser beam.
The focus sensing unit includes:
(A) A light source, emitting a collimated optical beam directed substantially in coinciding fashion with the focal plane of the laser beam, and overlapping regions positioned in close proximity to the focal plane, and
(B) an optical detector measuring the power of the optical beam, wherein the power of the optical beam depends on the relative disposition between the marking surface of the gemstone and the focal plane.
In addition to the light source and the optical detector the focus sensing unit includes a signal processing unit operationally coupled to the output of the optical detector for receiving data therefrom and processing the data corresponding to the relative disposition of the marking surface of the gemstone and the focal plane of the laser beam.
Preferably, the signal processing unit is operationally coupled to the translating stage to which the gemstone is mounted, for automatically controlling the position of the gemstone in response to the data received from the optical detector.
Optionally, the gemstone marking system may include a display coupled to the signal processing unit for displaying the data obtained from the focused sensing unit in order that a human operator may use the displayed output data to relocate the gemstone.
Viewing another aspect of the invention, there is presented a method for marking gemstones, including the steps of:
generating the laser beam and directing the laser beam towards a marking surface of gemstone;
generating the collimated sensing optical beam and directing the sensing optical beam substantially coincidentally with a focal plane of the laser beam, in order that the sensing optical beam overlaps regions positioned in close proximity to the focal plane of the laser beam,
measuring the power of the sensing optical beam which is dependent on a relative disposition between said marking surface of the gemstone and the focal plane of the laser beam,
processing data corresponding to the measured power of the sensing optical beam, and
changing the position of the gemstone to the focal plane of the laser beam in response to processed data.
In the method of the present invention for marking gemstones, the processed data may be used either for automatically changing of the position of the gemstone or can be displayed in order that human operator may use the data to change the position of the gemstone.
This and other features and advantages of the present invention will be understood in conjunction with the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.